Rise against
by gatejumper-13
Summary: James Latchkey is one of humanity's most valiant defenders, but what if it is not humanity that needs protection?
1. The plunge

James stood in front of the main command screen, reorganizing the flowing tactical data until he found what he was looking for. The information leak he was exploiting came strait from a shroud command cruiser deemed _Cloaked death, _located just five clicks out side of there long range weapons. Four other ships supported the _Cloaked death _as they tried to follow James ship the _Demaon'mas_, and while the shroud where being kept at bay for now as the _Demaon'mas_'s guns forced them to stay well out of their own weapon range.

James lowered the latest movement data and pulled up ammunition as he ran the calculations on the next battle, he frowned as they came up. The screen displayed their multiple ammunitions for their different weapons and one set of numbers upset him, their long rang ammunition was running low as a result of their last battle. Now moving through the halls James nodded to different groups of personnel as he passed, slowly making his way to the barracks. As he approached the twin door slid open to reveal his squad, most of them omega class aerial drop commandos like him, seated around the room tending to their own matters.

Kollar a Silvyan spec-ops trooper approached him. "Captain I have a question that I need to ask." James nodded, "What seems to be the problem?" Kollar gestured to his helm. "Sir its just that since the battle on EL-1903 my targeting system has been off by a constantly changing variable. The thing is, is that I need your permission to enter the technicians domain of she is... picky about who enters her work place and is the only one aboard who can fix this glitch." James nodded again replying as he reached into his uniform. "Kollar, you may go, take this and she will let you pass." Kollar reached out excepting a small object, it was a triple overlaid cog with crossed lighting bolts in the center. James stepped around him as Kollar started off, approaching a wall console James began keying in a string of numbers that would unlock the console for his use.

After it had reached full activation he quickly scrolled through the different files until he found the digital cash of on board weaponry that contained his armor and weapons, pushing his palm against the touch screen a set of doors pulled back to alow his armor to slide in. Reaching in the armor activated at his touch, unlocking the different seals decompressing as the peaces lowered from their individual places. Quickly running a series of checks over each section he dawned it without a word. Enabled his HUD a tactical live stream filtered across his vision as it drew updates from the latest reports. Finely finishing with the live stream everything settled into place, leaving James to adjust his armor manually setting it in place. Next he grabbed his weapons: an H-38 heavy assault rifle, loading in a gel cannister he replaced both half empty magazines, and a DEW side arm before moving back to the door. As he approached the ship rocked, signaling it had fired its midrange siege guns. The deck settled and James and squad funneled out through the half jammed door, waving in the other direction he issued orders rapidly. "Zeke! You Sairah, Mike, and David take the main hall to engineering! Lock it down! Haze! You and Lea go secure the medical team! Every one else to the bridge!"

Quickly dividing up someone screamed contact as they all went their assigned paths, boots hammered the decks leaving slight intentions as nine, half-ton suits of assault skin ran at increased speeds. Rounding another corner the _Demaon'_ shuttered under a new impact. Someone around the corner lurched the corner, turning out to be two somebodies as Zoey struggled under the weight of a wounded Silvyan. James reached down and picked up the silvyan, thrusting the wounded figure back into Zoey's hands. James had the situation under control in a second. "John, Take Kollar and Zoey to the bridge. Ashly, radio ahead for Haze to bring the medical team to the bridge. Also tell them to proceed with cation shroud infiltrators have boarded the ship and are cleaning house." The group continued toward the bridge as anther hit rattled the ship, twin boarding claw bore through the hull punching strait through to the other side. With the claws half of Ashly plastered the wall with shattered armor and blood spatter. The rest of her became a bloody smear as the boarding craft entered, filling the hall with its bulk. Noiselessly the hatch opened, spilling heavily armored shroud annulation forms from the breach. The first to react James didn't hold back, H-38 blaring the first one caught a chest full of fifty calibers as the assault rifle let loose half aimed barks of fire. Discarding the rifle James lunged bringing himself to the same hight as the monster before him, hand outstretched he griped its throat while he pulled his 8 inch blade. Sliding it under its armor plating it connected with the shrouds main junction(shroud equivalent to a spine.) and pulled the blade through causing the shroud to fall to the ground. The next shroud found James armor accelerator to be very potent as James right fist plowed through its armor til his hand made contact with its core logistics drive, crushing it in to a crumpled ball of platinum and steel.

Now the equivalent of an animal, the shroud stumble about slashing its claw like gauntlet around at friend and foe alike. Another hit James with a right hook, plowing him into a wall, leaving the figure to slip into oblivion as he drew his side arm and sank five plasma rounds into the shrouds chest. Three shroud were now dead or disabled thanks to James and now his squad finished the last two off, moving towards the disabled shroud they stopped. The ships main alarm started it hum as the hull groaned. The ships bridge and engine bays had suffered to much damage, the bridge probably nonexistent now the ships on board computer was now attempting to drag its invaders and crew through a dimensional jump portal. A large flash of orange light appeared within the blackness of the portal as they all fell into unconsciousness and made a desperate jump to another dimension. Seconds later would see the ship would coming out of another portal near a green and blue world resembling earth in some ways, but a lot less pollution and visible population from orbit. Slowly sinking into the planets warm embrace the ships main computer dumped its self into a storage unit within a heavy juggernaut. Now without guidance or power the ship listed in atmosphere tearing its hull to peaces as they descended on the world of mekkan.

Authors notes- yes this is a cliff hanger, but no this is no the end... well maybe it is for Ashly and those poor shroud but only the nest chapter will shed light on the casualties of the blacksun... the shroud on the other hand, well i wont ruin it completely but lets say this dark mana crystals + shroud = major work for the commandos.

reviews are nice, thank you.


	2. thy steeds the mockingbird and prowler

time since arrival 4:30:23

location- planetary body labiled AE-19S7 by onboard computer.

All seemed lost as the _Demaon'_ burned slowly, having landed in the Azure badlands almost nothing was left. Very few of the already depleted crew survived the impact as failing systems finally gave way to damage, the screams of the dying were not lost on the ears of the survivors but there was nothing that could be done. The only survivors who would leave the crash together would be commands Major Sol've and corporal Haze, Haze who leaned heavily on Sol as his leg tried to laboriously regenerate beneath his scared armor. Sol looked back on the ship and watched as another shroud soldier emerged, only to dart of in a random direction. Haze let out another groan, "OK Sol, set me down. The basic muscle systems are done." Sol set him down as requested and reached for his rifle as he did. "Corporal, straiten up and get your weapon ready." Haze reached for his side arm and drew the Duel Energy Weapon, scanning from side tot side as they pressed on. Sol marched forward and looked down the face of the dune they had just crested, below a few scattered bodies belonging to the shroud and a set of enormous foot prints leading away from the ship. Haze stumbled as his limp acted up causing him to slid down the loose sand, Sol jumped and impacted the ground near Haze as he examined the prints. Helping Haze to his feet Sol began to talk. "The shroud here were engaged only briefly as there is no projectile markings signaling anything grater than a light scrimmage, but I do believe that if these tracks are correct we are on the trail of a Juggernaut." Haze glanced around before nodding. They both continued on painfully aware of multiple sets of eyes watching them, but the feeling was offset when they came across another chunk of the ship. A quick look around and they found this was part of the storage deck at one point in time and vehicles still littered the ground around them with the occasional supply crate half buried in sand. Haze and Sol split up and began searching for a means of transportation, and it came in the form of a Grav-frame scout truck.

Haze started to wounder just how far luck would get him as the truck started, almost immediately the power cells warning lights came on. The truck needed a new EN-cell and was almost out of power, Haze just nodded and got out. He disengaged his helmet and sighed, walking slowly forward catching a glimpse of Sol. He had been looking for a weapon amongst the the scattered crates but had no luck so far, glancing up he found Haze walking over, but than he just disappeared. Sol blinked as he tried to comprehend what just happened, he started to sprint to were he had last seen Haze and found a hole in the sand. Haze looked up at him from the command seat of the Mastilodon

mechanized main battle tank, a grin crossing his face as he turned the last control key. Rising from its prison of sand it had an almost uncanny similarity to the beast for witch it was named. Standing at twenty feet tall the MMBT-17A or Mockingbird class was a five ton monster of mobile artillery. Capable of lunching its most damaging munitions over five miles away this thing was the pride and joy of those lucky few who command the few remaining. Sol nodded his approval a Haze lowered the Tank down to embarking height. Haze opened he commanders hatch for Sol who slid in next to him. "status report Haze." Haze set himself down in the pilots seat. "Shes in working order sir. The fall didn't even damage the hydraulics. EN-cell reading at output two but could be increased temporally for plasma artillery, cooling drives at normal and the targeting system is coming online now." Sol nodded in his usual way just before taking the command hatch, a gentle hum started as he armed he EN-lance machine gun. Haze started the Mastilodon of taword the distant tree line in hopes of finding other survivors.

Five hours later

time since arrival- 9:10:37

location- unknown

Haze felt the vice of sleep slowly crushing him as the MMBT finally reached the green outcropping, witch had turned out to be a sizable field of grass just before a small forest. The evidence of life surrounded the Mastilodon as it lumbered through the burnt out village, shells of structures disintegrating as the tank crashed through them. Haze felt a ping of sadness as he glimpsed what could have only been what was left of a child's doll. Looking farther in he spied a well and he gave a silent thanks to the nine as they stopped by it. Lowering the Mastilodon down Haze disembarked, joining Sol by the well looking deep into the darkness. Haze inhaled deeply and caught a sent on the slight breeze, his DEW found his hand as he spun around. He exhaled in relief as he noticed the spear wielding silvyan dressed in crude cloth? Now Sol had also detected the new comer and he nudged Haze to the left. Hand signals flew by in rapid secession as Sol ordered Haze to back away from the water. The silvyan now looked from them to the well, but had not scene the Mastilodon yet as he carefully approached. Sol and Haze boarded the MMBT and started to activate it when the silvyan caught its first look at the machine, he looked amazed by it and much to the surprise of the commandos he knelt. Haze picked himself from the pilot seat and at the hatch to see the silvyan turn as if going to back away. It was at this time a shroud infiltrator emerged from the tree line rushing the silvyan but Sol had a different idea of how things were going to happen. He swung the EN-lance machine gun it the direction of the infiltrator and nanoseconds later had reduced the foul creature to a blaze of whitish blue light as the first lance beam made contact. The silvyan who had been trying to flee stopped in aw as the creature burst into light and heavily slagged materials. Now the commandos had a breather the looked around to find another silvyan join the first out of the wreckage of the village, this new silvyan was younger by a large visual gap and Haze thought she could easily be the owner of the distoryed doll. All at once he spotted more movement, this time human but something was off. They looked as if the were stalking the silvyans, all at once multiple humans sprang from the surrounding area encircling the silvyans as cries of terror came from the little one. Sol was torn between who to help and was only faintly aware that the MMBT had began to move toward the humans, because while Sol was new to this Haze had seen it only one to many times. One word out of many crossed his mind 'abomination'.

This word set him off, as the past of his original came to him, Haze himself was barely a hundred years of age but he had memories that dated back to the first alliance-terran war. The enslave ment of the silvyans was like wild fire then and seeing it now sent him into a berserk rage, the MMBT felt his every jerk of the controls and took them in strides as the humans just seemed to notice for the first time the monster tank baring down on them with its plasma conduits growling from the energy they were exerting.

After the flash what was left of the human party tried to flee but Haze followed them, his DEW armed and set to kill he made short work of them. The last human looked a Haze in disgust as he spit at him calling out. "Keidran lover, the Templar will see you burned for your crimes!" Haze grabbed the mans throat and slammed him into tree. "Scum you are not fit to bare the name of humanity, slaver of being to do you work is wrong. I am the iron fist of the nine and they cast judgment upon you. Death!" Haze's armored hand surged with energy as he dumped part of his armors geometrical charge into the man. The struggling stopped as his heart did, Haze felt no regret or remorse for what he had just done, for only the protectors of humanity could protect them from their selves. Walking back to the Mastilodon he found Sol treating the keidran as the human had called them, for minor burns that the close range plasma flare had inflicted upon them. Another figure had appeared while Haze was out but Haze recognized him immediate. "Kollar when did you show up?" the silvyan looked up at Haze. "Around the time a large plasma charge went off near by." Haze nodded glad to have some else around to talk to. Kollar looked up at the MMBT. "So out of all the things you people find lying around, you find a MMBT-17A?" Haze nodded slightly to this. "Well the tank found me, its a funny story that I just half to tell you..."

shortly after

time since arrival 10:56:29

Location- the _Demaon'_

POV CPT. James Latchkey

I move faster than most as the creature gained on me. Chancing a glance back I noted that it had gotten closer and ducked yet another loose ceiling and jumped over a jammed door, cutting another corner I stopped in my tracks. The hall in front of me was nonexistent as the empty space rushed up to greet me, the creature was gaining so I did what anyone else would do. I jumped. The sand and glass below broke my fall as I continued my sprint, and as I did the creature followed. A communication alert flowed across my visor as someone set up a comm-link. "Captain this is prowler gun operator Harrison of the 397th armor division, please stand by for long range heavy shell support, copy?" I looked back at the creature before replying. "Just don't miss!" somewhere in the distance the report of a howitzer type 19Va cannon sounded, followed closely by the sound of an heavy depleted uranium shell detonating. Stopping I turned to what was left of the creature, a smoldering mass of purplish gore stained the fire branded area around the disemboweled body of what must of been at one point in time a shroud mammoth heavy lifter. In the distance a prowler medium tank broke cover and advance on my position, I wiped gore and blood from my armor more or less succeeding as the tank approached. A man with a skinny build and longer dark brown hair emerged from the hatch, and through a fist across his chest. "Corporal Harrison of the 397th armor and engineering corps at you service sir." I nodded and proceeded to board. Climbing into the main hatch I noticed another soldier manning the drivers seat, he had a shorter slightly thick build with short blond hair and crinkles around his face suggesting he was one to smile a lot. "Hello sir, name Steven, Sargent grade2, position 397th armor operator and logistics coordinator." I nodded knowing there was no need to introduce my self but did so anyway. "Captain James Latchkey, Bastion fleet sub commander and space/ground combat coordinator and specialist." they nodded as they went to their operating centers as I opened the commanders hatch to survey the surrounding area. "Whats our course?" a muffled reply sounding like north emerged. "That's a no go Sargent, I want this beast moving west." another reply sounding like sir emerged. Looking into the setting sun I felt a long night coming on.

Notes: hope you liked it, this is all falling into place nicely, now all I got to do is the romance part and the fluff that everyone seems to dread so much, but that comes later and without warring I might add. So please send me reviews, PMs, and other fun and/or hate filled things.

MMBT-17A Mockingbird class Mastilodon- Standing at twenty feet tall this monster piece of machinery can lob plasma or sub-sonic shells a distance of over five miles. Standing on six legs this behemoth of a tank can also take quite a bit of fire before is four foot thick blu steel armor gives way.

EN-lance machine gun- strait fire heavy compressed energy machine gun that has a switch around that allows for a beam of energy to be fired until the energy condensers run dry or it over heats.

DEW- Duel Energy Weapon- misleading title the Duel part stands for double energy weapon but Duel has been the common word after they were placed in gladiator arenas of 129-EZ prison know collectively as the pit. The double part is misleading to for the fact is that it stands for the weapons ability to form a condensed energy blade or fire of a energy burst that is commonly mistaken for plasma.


	3. The conflict begans

Three days later

Time since arrival 1/04/0001 8:43:27 AM

Prowler MT

River side

James watched as the group of humans passed with there slaves carrying what was to be their luncheon, oblivious to the tank not five yards away. The slaves looked half starved as ribs showed through torn clothing, letting the cool breeze pass right through them and leaving James to pity them. Harrison came out of the forest just then, crossing the worn path to the creek no to far away. The family looked up at him but decided he was not a threat, the children ran once around him as he waved to the passing couple. They passed not knowing James was ever no more than a arms length away from them, passing by James felt relief at the fact they did not notice the tank and made his move. Crossing the path Harrison waved to him as they both walked back to the tank. Harrison was first to speak, "So Captain, manage any food this outing?" James smiled under his helm, for despite the kids skinny looks, he could really pack the food away. "Yes Corporal I did manage some food, but lets check on the Sargent first." Steven had been using the tanks electronic scope to watch the earlier procession as James had sat inside the feeble bush, pushing open the hatch he let the two of them in. "Welcome home guys!" Harrison said something but James was to preoccupied to hear what it was, his gaze found what was bothering him, a body of some unlucky traveler hung from a near by tree. James handed off the food to Harrison as he went to investigate, walking lightly without his armor on he kept his eyes peeled while Harrison joined Steven in the tank. The body was badly maimed as James found it was missing most its insides and a leg, flies danced around the unlucky man as James inspected the body. Something was wrong about the way he had died. His flesh looked burned and a entry wound was easily visible, the entry wound was clean so it had to be one of his crews EN weapon that had done this, but the claw and teeth marks would suggest.

Birds scattered as a scream rang out, James responded in an instant, jumping from the upper section he boarded the tank. From inside Harrison was pushing up a D-7 pressure rifle that James grabbed from him, leaping again James cleared the tanks main cannon and started to sprint. Ahead of him he spotted the family and their slaves, but they were not alone. Battered and party disemboweled, a shroud terminator crouched over one of the slaves who had tried vainly to protect their masters. James activated the rifles scope and zoomed on the shrouds neck, he exhaled and the bolt took the shroud just a millimeter off mark. Screeching it zeroed in on James who loosed his second shot, leaving the shroud lying on the ground as the bolt protruded from its chest. The family looked over to see James as he approached the downed creature, a whimper brought James attention to the family. A little girl clung to the leg of a knife wielding keidran while the parents ran, James pulled his own blade and plunged it into the shrouds chest, spilling the rest of the shrouds organic parts. James stood back wiping the blade across his uniform before sheathing it, he turned to the keidran. "You do not run with the cowards and defend their child, why is that?" The keidran looked taken aback. "Mistress Emiya is my owner, those things that fled are not her parents, their leaches on the face of this world. They took in my mistress after her parents died and have treated her like dirt, they ignore me as if I'm not real and torment us slaves while they do nothing. Mistress Emiya is different, she is kind to us and I server her happily." James nodded, feeling a bit sorry for them. "Then why not leave? If they are that bad take Emiya away." The keidran looked down sheepishly. "I've tried, it got my brother hung." James was shocked by this, he nodded to the Keidran as he signaled for Steven to bring the tank forward. The keidran if possible turned a pail white as the prowler broke cover. "Have Emiya wait here with my people, you and me have some business to attend to." The dog pointed to the tank as Harrison emerged from the command hatch. Emiya recognized him and scrambled up the tank crying about monsters. James conversed with Steven and emerged with a comm piece. "OK dog boy lets get going." The keidran looked at him. "Davi" James started to jog of as the keidran fell in place beside him. "Davi? Nice name." Davi whistled his thanks as the two traveled down the path.

Two hours later

time since arrival 1/04/0001 11:01:09

Town of Pejite

"Relax , Emi is probly fine. Now witch slave attacked you again?" grinned behind her sleeve before it disappeared again fading with another false body raking sob. "It was that one called Davi, he attacked us and stole are chiled he was going to-" "going to what!" Davi entered the crowed followed by James. "I risked my life to save you all from that creature and you try to make a sob story to get rid of me!" every one was taken aback, one man moved in to 'discipline' Davi. The punch never connected as James grabbed his fist and twisted, a snap followed by a tarring sound gave way to the picture of the same man lying on the ground as his bone protruded from his arm.

James coolly scanned the crowed for any more hot head before speaking. "I am James Latchkey, and I bore witness to the events of this discussion." A voice called out from the back. "So you are confirming what has said here!" James shook his head sadly, straining up he tapped his communicator twice. "No every thing said is a lie. Davi here was trying to protect them from a creature that was attacking and they fled leaving the little girl behind. If not for my intervention Davi wouldn't be able to take any blame right now cause he'd be dead." A gasp ran through the crowed, an angry yell emerged from the center. "Wheres this beast you speak of!" A scream rang out as the prowler came around the corner the shroud tied to the front. James turned and gestured casually as the creature. "Why right there of course." The crowed looked pale as they gazed upon the tank.

Two guards came forwards and secured . " for falsifying information and leaving not only a young one behind but to this, thing, you are hear by sentenced to imprison and death by the blade for the attempted murder of a slave and human." She looked like she would die right then. James strainted up. "Now I shall reveal my full title, Captain James Latchkey of the blacksun, leader of all who survived my ships crash landing. I am requisitioning the former quarters of this person here to serve as my base of operations and rally point for any of my men who are scattered across this world." Two people now stepped up to James. "What do you have to offer us in return?" James simply gestured to the creature. "Pest control." Most of the people began to talk amongst them selves as this seemed to strike some sort of appeasing term to their fears. "Now I have one more request, Keep your slaves away from that structure for me and most of my men have had, bad experience with slavery were we are from, as a matter of fact we ended it due to the fact it was allies that were being enslaved." The people said nothing as James and Davi walked away, the tanks treads started rolling in reverse as they followed carefully. James smiled for no reason in particular as he walked on, whispering to him self. Davi strained to listen as James spoke. "-and the fire rained, leaving the angles of humanity stranded with the demons of old scattered. It is to the Tenth of the nine I pray, to release me from my chains and let me exterminate the foe. Even at the cost of my humanity, for I do not wish to be human. Let it-"

same time

MMBT-17A

"-be spoken that I will lay down my heart and soul to defend. And were others will falter and break, I shall bloom into the finest weapon in the know galaxy. Dus'na Enforcer'la Demaon'mas." Haze and Sol finished their prayer as they readied their weapons. Before them lay another shroud spore beast, preparing to spread the darkness of eternal night. Both commandos were armed with D-9 pressure carbines and incendiary grenades. A hand signal turned the area into a hornets nest of gun fire as other survivors opened up on the shroud creature, letting its blood flow in massive streams as their bolts and plasma rounds destroyed its outer skin and EN light beams passed through it leaving holes through out its body. The mass could no longer support its self and collapsed upon its frame, spilling organic matter and electronics from weaker areas. The men gave a cheer as the regrouped on the commands, all in all bringing their group to fifty as aerial drop infantry and commands alike started their walk back to base. Their base camp was crewed by three of the surviving silvyan tech crew, who as stated, were extremely gifted in the way of electronics. One of them wave to Sol as he passed by, speaking in a jumpy surprised, but joy drunken voice. "Sir we have connection with two more pockets of survivors, one of the groups is broadcasting on a SRF and sadly can't receive at this range but thats not what I'm trying to tell you. The group transmitting on the SRF, their leader is the Captain! James is alive and fight hard as we speak!" Sols mood seem to lighten at this news. "Time to move out I guess, pack your gear." the announcement of the captain life was uplifting and bred a speed born of hope and the need to support the captain. The camp was squared away faster than most could believe and they set off.

**Two days would pass as the Sols group made contact with the other survivors bringing their numbers to 76 fighting men and crew. The journey would not be easy as they came closer to their objective, not knowing that just behind them the shroud had be growing, and following them. Their force numbered in the hundreds of thousands as the had found a new source of material to fuel their army. Dark mana, and the crystals associated drove the shroud to new more unrealistic heights of strength and damage tolerance.**


	4. The rise and fall of an anceint hero

Three months later

Time since arrival 04/07/0001 11:12:57 PM

Fortress of Pejite

Templar's perspective.

We marched on over hills and plains to reach the area that had requested our support, and while the army they were requisitioning seamed a little much, nothing could have prepared us for what would lye ahead. Hundreds of dead filled the fields, and while most were that of creatures we had never seen before the ever haunting form of dead humans and keidrans were present as well. Blood both new and old clung to our boots as we wadded through pools of the stuff leaving most of the me scared for what most of them would turn out to be a very short life. The fortress stood before us and its name became clear to us. Fifteen foot walls surrounded the former town as trenches cowered in wire and iron or steel blockades, the men, women, and keidran that surrounded it were armed with weapons that were new to us as the let down volleys of death upon that of the creatures that traded what looked to be dark magic in return. A group of armored figures figures leaped from the wall tops as they engaged with swords and smaller weapons kin to those that the defenders used. We charged and smashed the rear of this alien foe, driving them into the points of our swords seeking their blood for our task as we tore a bloody hole to the heart of their force. There we met the first of the defenders, armed with their strange weaponry that delivered death to those they could not reach with that of their swords cutting and hacking apart any within reach until nothing but blood and gore remained of their enemies. We later would learn that this was a mixed force of 'commandos' lead by an 'Enforcer' two types of altered human soldier from their place of residence.

~Extract from a Templar knights' journal.

Date continued

Night was upon the area as enemy plasma fire and artillery rained down from the heavens, most of those not fighting were taking up shelter in the quarry that served as the blacksuns main bunker and last line of defense. The fighting continued across many areas of the fortress as the Templar gained entry to the fortress of Pejite. The hum of machinery filled the air as hundreds of rounds a minute we expended by the heavy guns surrounding the walls and trenches as they were replace only moments later. An explosion rang out as the shroud broke through the main gate, flooding the town with their soldiers belonging to that of every type, followed closely by a titan class three bio-mech. It's arms burst in a fountain of blood and wiring as they separated to reveal the twin auto cannons housed there. Death himself was present on the street as the creature reaped a bloody toll on the brave defenders, a smashing sound ended the titans kill streak as a Juggernaut heavy mech plowed into the side it, close rang heavy cannons shredded the creature as the shear weight of fire destroyed the titan. What was left of the Juggernauts armament turned on the remaining shroud units, turning the tables as now the shroud found themselves trapped in a city full of heavily armed and very pissed soldiers. Somewhere the clash of metal on metal rang out as James ducked yet another attack and retaliated with a devastating blow using a fallen soldiers sword, his own lost after it had broken in half. Bodies of shroud littered the streets around him. Two other soldiers were farther down the street trying to link up with James a he tore a hole in the former attackers lines, leaving piles of what use to be shroud in his wake. Two rushed him at first but collided as he dogged away cutting one across the chest leaving it to fall to the ground, its partner turned and fired a plasma SMG but the shots were shrugged off by the Enforcer as his voice raised while walking toward the next group ignoring the plasma rounds. "I am Enforce 1911-015 of the last stand on Arcadius planetary body 5. leader of the central ground force and the slayer of the last Leviathan, and I am your doom. I am the tenth of the nine and the last of the fallen angle, the sword of princess Malina and harbinger of freedom to all who stand by me. It is I who freed your greatest foe and I who lead them to your last defensive location. Fear me." the last words were barely a whisper as James stopped in mid step, around him rings of orange light started to pulse. His body was slowly covered in an armor never seen before by human eyes, shroud fled as what was once James raised a hand and a weapon formed from the same light that had formed him. A burst of energy ensued as he fired killing off creature after creature, running only small pockets of shroud tried to stand before him. monomolecular rifle in one hand and a particle disruptor cannon in the other, firing off in rapid succession bisecting the units in front of him. His mind erupted as barriers that had pervasively evaded him opened and flooded his mind with the power once granted to him nearly a trillion years ago, the nine wield him as their sword and holy instrument. Blood flowed freely as both sides felt their loses affecting them, and before were the shroud had stood ready to strike the final blow, now it was anyone's fight as it continued deep into the night.

Seven hours later

04/08/0001 6:25:13 AM

former fortress of Pejite

The people of Pejite emerged from the bunker to find their once pleasant town broken by the warfare of two factions that did not belong were they where. Blood soaked earth stained their feet as they looked around at the place they once called home, what humans and keidrans that had survived where quickly found by the noncoms as they looked through the town. Some babbled endless streams of nothing as others cried sullenly, most were just shell shocked ad locked in place as they sought comfort from others. The Templar army was almost completely annihilated and very little was left in the way of weapons or armor, leaving them as no more than husk of their former selves, the sounds of weapon fire sounded somewhere outside the main gates. The people rushed to the location shrugging off their fears and various states of shock and reached the gates to find a squad of shroud infiltrators holding them back as three terminators assaulted James, the people of Pejite surged forward taking the infiltrators by force. They over whelmed them but were to late to save James as one of the terminators lifted him by the throat, plunging its blade into his gut. The result was a burst of orange light that fried the terminators and left James's body lying there. Two people reached him first, a male keidran and a female human, both cried out with joy at the fact he was still alive and they bent down to pick up the soldier as his armor faded. Before them now stood a man wearing clothes that resembled their own as his wound healed, but he was not smiling like the rest of the people, his eyes were empty as he gaze across the field of battle. Bodies of his crew, his friends, but most importantly of all, the bodies were once his family, and now he was alone, dead inside as he saw the looks in the peoples eyes. They celebrated him now, but hear lingered in their eyes leaving most to give him a good distance to pass by as the two people helped to the town. Bodies were cleared and buried as the days crept by, each leaving a larger scar on James soul. He was surrounded by people but utterly alone, no one even approached him any more as he was avoided more and more.

Time since arrival -5/-3/-1

current time- lost

mission time frozen...

permanent shut down activated...

logging out Captain James L-

Before James his armor went into permanent shut down as he packed a bag full of his old things, pictures and old letters were save to a PDB as he folded down his bunk. His old room in the _Demaon _was almost empty now as he reached for a black bound book. On the front was printed '_Light after dark_' in small silver text, this was the bible of the blacksun, and was true as many of the battle text and names recorded within were known by him as fights he had partaken in or people he had served beside. A picture slipped from the inside, he looked down and was surprised at witch one it was, and for the first time in a long time he felt tears steam down his face. The picture was one that had been taken by a old friend and on it was him and Alex hugging smiles plaster on their faces as they had enjoied the moment of peace. Then her death came back to him all to vividly.

_Rain fell from the forest canopy as two figures crossed the ground rapidly, closing in on a lander that was waiting for them. The firing around them had started back up at the White Knight armor division closed the distance to their location. They had just reached the lander when a heavy shell raced by over head, the pilot bugged out closing Alex in as she tried to reach for him. It was then the shell hit, scattering the wreckage across the ground. He arrived to late, she was breathing heavily and slipped away as he had fumbled for a RRC kit._

He shut down inside from the memory and crashed into the bunk falling into a nightmare plagued sleep as he fought the demons of his passed. But little did he know that someone else was aboard the ship, and they would soon bring James back from the edge and make him new again. They would meet soon but for now he slept. The nine would hold back the worst of it, but he would still suffer.

Notes- ya ya ya I'm cruel and all that, now we get into the romance part of this adventure. The war here lasting only three months and ended up reaping heavy tolls, the shroud have died out and only James and a few others remain from the original crew. Now spoiler alert. The next chapter will take place about a year after these events, him and one other person, a wolf keidran by the Name of Teira are traveling to the shore so that James my go to the bastion islands to investigate a rumor that he has just heard, in the town of Pejite.

Review please.


	5. Never human

OK people new plan going on, we're picking up where we left off at the end of chapter 4... so ignore the last authors note.

James gaze out through half glazed eyes as he struggled forward, sand tugging at his feet while the sun beat down on him from over head. He did not care for these things except the fact that he was alive, twisted and dark, but alive none the less. His friends lay under the sands of the waste as he continued to carry on, dragging himself into what he hoped was a better tomorrow.

Things did not improve for a while as James found himself alone still after a year of wondering the empty waste and the surrounding country. His outlook had improved to the causal eye, but inside he would never forget those he had lead in that final battle, and while he could no longer hear their voices he still knew what they would say.

"We did not parish because you, we died doing our duty. Carry on, if not for us, then for her."

who is she?

He sighed and continued, the shade of the forest beckoning him into its depths. Shaking his head he turned for the forest, relishing its cool shades and gentile sounds. His feet pounded on for what he felt was an hour before he stopped, around him the scene lulled him into a type of trance as he eyed the land scape.

The trees thinned here, allowing small purple and pink flowers to sprout amongst the grass as a merry stream slipped by near silently. James lay back, thinking back to to the good old days when his crew and he had traveled the stars. With his once proud life fresh in his mind, he drifted off into a deep slumber.

Before he had even opened his eyes he could feel them, boring into him with their fear laden gaze. Picking himself up with his small amount of equipment, his eyes raised so that he was looking strait into the area from with he was being watched. Many battles had tough him patients though, for as he prepared to leave he could still feel the eyes of an innocence upon him. Then a new feeling met him head on.

More eyes were now surly watching him as the bushes stirred without even the lightest of breezes to stir them. All at once everything came grinding to a halt as adrenalin started to pump through his veins. A keidran emerged from a near by bush griping an oversized spear while another came forward holding some sort of saber. He reacted without thinking, turning to allow the blade to pass he grabbed the spear, watching the faces of a dozen wolves turn to that of shock.

He pulled the spear forward and with a sideways punch left the young wolf stunned on the ground. Busting the head from the weapon he set about the others with a frown of distaste. Not a drop of blood was shed as James whacked away whenever they got to close, working his way out of the crowd.

"STOP! Imbeciles! Let the human pass." -cried an older looking veteran

"Why! Should we not kill him!?' -snarled another

"If you were to get anywhere close, it would be nothing short of a miracle! Do you not see the way he has kept us at bay?" -said the first

a murmur of agreement spreed through the as James slowly descended into the shadows, slipping away. Soon as he could no longer see them he bolted, his feet crushed the deep loam as he sought a way to lose them.

undergrowth exploded underfoot as he forged deeper into the unknown, yells of surprise and anger followed him from behind. before him the ground started to recede as the edge of a cliff face loomed ever closer.

James jumped forward, launching himself into empty space as gravity took hold. he plummeted downward, wind clawing at his face as he extended his feet below himself. he drifted farther out until the point impact hit him.

his pain levels spiked as his legs crumpled briefly before RRC kicked in. his body started pumping extra adrenalin pushing his pain to the back of his head. standing back up he spotted ahead of him a wall of humans chasing some right up to the cliff side, as the keidran above worked their way down.

James pulled on the hilt of his sword to loosen it as both sides grew closer, they seemed to have realized that they each armed and both sides seemed to ready as they charged.

they met right on top of James who drew his sword and began to move. steel clashed as he stopped three blades with his own, giving the humans and keidran one good look at his face. his eyes gave way to pure orange as his face twisted into a mask of rage. his movements blurred as he fought both sides, his blade connecting with dozens of other, shattering swords and shearing the heads from their weapons, not even trying to defend himself against the wave of blades that faced him.

the fighting dragged on as James started to falter as he found himself suddenly speaking in a voice that was not his.

"_Back away mortals or your blood will stain my hands._"

and some did as they backed away. and then everything went black.

some time later James found himself laying before a great scene of carnage. blood stained the ground as bodies lay broken around him, burning themselves into his eyes so that he could never forget what he was.

"I am a killer, ruthless and unstoppable. even on deaths door step I shale fight, for I am Enforce, guardian of humanity..."

he paused and looked up to the sky.

"and I will serve, even after death. for I can never truly die."

behind him something moved. it was the figure that the human had been chasing, they were keidran. they were wolven and even from this distance he could see the graceful lines that marked her gender. she was moving from keidran to human, checking each in turn, trying each and every one for something. James stood and approached, his eyes finally resting upon the thick iron cuffs that rested on her arms.

his shadow fell across her as she raised her arms in panic, the sword sheared through her cuffs as the blade fell from his hands.

* * *

><p>Perspective switch.<p>

keidran

The soldier's blade fell to the blooded earth before me as I lay there, wishing to live for just a little bit longer. the man said something as he turned away from me, leaving me were I sat. the word he said to me suddenly sank in as I spoke it aloud experimentally.

"freedom..."

I felt my self laugh as the stranger walked away, and as he got father away, the more I wished to be with him. so I got up andstarted following him

* * *

><p>notes: well I got this out after only who knows how long, sorry about the wait and even sorrier to tell you that this is the start of a new one.<p> 


	6. fighting is second nature

James picked through his backpack till he found his data-slate. He activated it and looked down at the screen, his face twitched and rolled at what the screen said. Grid signal low, no link at this time. James pulled back his arm and launched the data-slate into the air, letting it fall ten meters away from were he had just been. Something moved in the tall grass behind him causing him to freeze. Two yellowed eyes looked out at him as he reached for his sword. The figure suddenly burst for from the brush, both hands held high in caution. (I am a friend!) James felt his mind some how twist its way around the words until he knew their meaning.

"Back youngling, if I have to kill you I wont know what to do with my self."

she backed of slightly, sitting down in the grass she crossed her legs and looked at James. She suddenly spoke. "My name is Light or (Vas) in my language... what... what is yours?"

"My name is zero thirteen, James Latchkey, Sub admiral in the bastion fleet of the blacksun."

Light looked at him. "That does not sound like your from around here... and what is a... black-sun? It sounds strange but lovely."

James looked at her for a second before waving for her to stand. "It is to hard to explain on my own, follow me and I can explain some it along the way.

Two days after meeting light

they find themselves at the

crash sight of the deamon.

Light gazed up at the larger chunk of the ship. "Its-its breath taking... never have I scene anything so big. The things you have told me are true then?"

James looked at her. "I never had any reason to lie, so what would be the purpose in doing so?"

Light shrugged before running up to the damaged hull, she put one hand over the other and started to climb. James watched carefully, just before he launched himself into the air. He caught a ledge and pulled himself up just before doing this again. He reached the place where Light had climbed inside not a moment before and looked around for her. He found her crouching in a corner, looking around it James found himself looking at a beat up shroud terminator. James grabbed his swords hilt and yanked it from the scabbard. Sword drawn he advanced on the creature that now slowly backed away. It stumbled and reached for a pile of wreckage near it. James watched in a strangely fascinated way, almost akin to watching a sabre wolf gut a man only to say, "well that was different." The thing shuttered and its eyes changed color from green to blue, almost as if it was an entirely different being all together. James's eyes bored in to the machines as they circled each other, James also became aware of the fact the machine copied most of his actions. Some where from around a corner someone walked out to James, he turned expecting to see Light but instead found himself looking into another face entirely.

"Zoey? Is that you?" James asked the figure, currently wrapped in a cloak like manner.

"Tis I, James. I have been thee or any other to return." she bowed to him, before looking up and gesturing to him. "But how can I know that this is truly thy?"

James reached into his shirt and produced a necklace with a single thick cog mounted on it. He pushed a small piece in and Zoey and Light watched as little pieces began to move. Slowly by reflecting different lights at angles, the little machine produced a holo-glyph of a skull. Zoey gasped.

"Du masturen das machine!" Zoey cried out falling into a bow as if stricken. "Vas hein no driven, masturen."

James shook his head my. "My orders are simple, help me fix my armor so I can channel grid energies."

Zoey looked like a kid who just got what they wanted for christmas, she bolted upright and followed him as closely as she could, Light and the shroud close at their heels. James lead them to his former room, past all the twisted wreckage and destruction.

They stopped before the room as James motioned for them to follow him inside, and there, laying on his former bed was his armor...

three days later

ships reactor core

Light looked at Zoey and asked for the umpteenth time that morning. "Are you positive this is safe?"

Zoey glanced at her and smiled reassuringly. "Don't worry... in theory hes perfectly safe... I thank..."

Light looked more or less more upset than before, taking a grip on herself she looked around before spotting the shroud. "So what is the machines past again?"

Zoey looked peeved at Light. "Their names are protector Quantum Sigma and builder Oraya, not 'IT', and their past is unique, just as yours is."

Light looked at Zoey sarcasm bubbling from her mouth as the two stopped. "All right miss history but I think you got your "Cogs" in a bunch. Just leave off me and continue to work with what family you have left."

Zoey looked confused. "Why do you speak of family in a place were none can be found?"

Light had a look of disbelief about her anger. "What do you mean!? James has mourned the loss of this places crew even after we started to travel! He was aggrieved by his lose, he felt pain no one person should feel! He thought he had failed you all! In this sleep he would whisper appologies to the multitudes of names that once called this ship home! He would d-"

The sound of a massive crash cut Light's rant of as shroud ripper assault units poured in through a freshly made hole in the wall. Quantum Sigma canted angrily in code as it drew out its power blade. The onrush had begun anew as many more pulled them through the wall, quick-qen mutations and malformations visible along their char colored bodies.

The first one met Quantum Sigma with a mighty leap only to get struck down by his power blade with two more sharing a similar fate just behind. Quantum Sigma began to wade through the seething mass, using his blade like a scythe as he went. The rippers died by the dozen with each swing but Quantum Sigmas attack had lost its momentum as he slowly fell to a halt and started a slow retreat backwards.

Suddenly James passed him, leaning forward H-38 heavy assault weapon chattering of in his hands. Two taps of the trigger and two mass seeking grenades leaped eagerly forward into the crowd of soulless abominations, igniting like twin starburst in a sea darkness. Rippers were scattered like ten pin as James Yelled. "Fall back! I will hold them!"

Quantum Sigma reached down and grasped both girls, slinging them across his back as he began a fast walking or a slow jog. The staccato chatter of the assault weapon as James continued to hold the tide of minor forms. Before Quantum Sigma lay a wide rind in the deck were the sections had split on a seem. He accelerated and jumped only to hit a tall metal spire and dislodge Light from his back. She cringed and tried to hold in a scream as something enveloped her suddenly with a jerk and a roar that slowed her fall. A monotone voice suddenly announced "Entry thrusters empty." a bone jarring crash followed as what ever had grabbed her let go and they lay sprawled on the floor. Light looked over to find a still armored figure bearing much battle damage laying not far from her, their blood slowly leaked from holes punched in their armor by dozens of claws.

Screeching sounded from the other side of the ravine like structure. A small collection of rippers jumped with a few landing on lights level Light grabbed the armored figures weapon and pointed it at the lead ripper, it was just above her in mid-leap when a dazzling blue blade jumped from the weapon taking it full in its canine like chest. The rest of the pack started to gather up a Light crouched over the prone figure. A large armored ripper lunged, knocking her back, but its attack was never finished as the armored figure stood, orange rings of light dancing around their body, ripper in their had. The things head exploded coolant fluids bio-ware implants as the armored figure squeezed. The next was was dealt with when its neck was ripped violently form its housing. The figure started to chant words that rang throughout the galaxy as billions of soldiers chanted the same thing with the same purpose.

"I am the a speck that drifts out among the sea of countless lives, striving for a place in which I will be recognized and know for who I am. I am Enforcer, and unto evil my wrath is to be delivered til no spawn of the darkness but my brothers and I are left!"

At the word 'Enforcer' the rippers went into a frenzy, covering the man in sheer weight of numbers. The overflow started spilling of and Light found her legs as the mass started for her, pounding down different twist and turns as the pack slowly gained.

Two mega rippers burst from the pack and started gaining on the rapidly tiring Light as she continued her run. A small gap in the flooring was all it took. Light fell, twisting her ankle and landing on her back. The first two rippers to arrive were the Mega, their metallic fangs buried into her flesh sending blood up to splatter their muzzles as their claws explored her insides. Light would have screamed if the fangs in her neck hadn't crushed her wind pipe. Her vision was crystal clear as her conscientiousness started to fade. Suddenly hundreds of rounds swamped the air as four armored figures covered another two who promptly grabbed what was left of light, injecting her with a vile full of a greenish blue liquidized gel. Light felt the fire inter her veins as she slowly let the blank painless sleep put her under. The two figures hefted Light between them as the other four continued to fire. Every thing stopped suddenly as the armor figure from earlier burst forth from the bowels of the pack. The nearest ripper was four feet tall at its highest point, and as it looked up at the figure that bore down on it just seconds later, it couldn't help but realize that the figure towered five more feet over it. The rippers mind went blank as the figures boot crushed its head on the ships deck and the rest of the rippers retreated, leaving the armored figure to approach the other, smaller four.

One of its hands reached out and gripped the leaders shoulder, the voice issued from inside was monotone and held no emotion or fatigue.

"Major Sol." The major looked up at the figure and replied. "Captain James..."


	7. start of a journy

James looked out over the deserts rolling expanses as a new wind kicked up the sand around him, his gaze wondered down into the pit below him as he surveyed the surrounding area. Large supports topped with cloth and metal pieces provided a camp for James men, or what was left of them after the attacks that had come throughout the night. Many of them stumbled around as RRC (rapped regenerative cells) slowly healed them. MREs were handed out to those who needed them while others stood by, ready to fight in seconds. Tensions were high as many held their weapons close and many kept their eyes cast about for the enemy that could strike at any time.

James slid down the dune and passed the makeshift mechanics shop where two prowlers MBTs, currently having their treads mending by mechanics. Two men walked by, nodding at James as they passed. He turned to one and waved for him to come over. The person in question approached rapidly, trying to get as much done as possible before they moved camp.

James turned to him speaking slowly. "When will my armors repairs be finished?" the mechanic looked at him for a second as someone called out nearby. "Enemy patrol detected, open fire!" gel streaks filled the air as they ignited on contact with anything, spontaneously combusting into plasma. James didn't even flinch a glob missed him by a mere inch, and calmly raising his side arm he started to fire it without aiming, dropping three of the attackers with its magazine. The mechanic looked from the shroud to James. "Your armor is done now… sir."

After the brief scrimmage with the shrouds forward scouting party the inhabitance of the camp rushed to collapse the 'buildings' and pack gear away into vehicles as the shroud's main force grew ever closer. James found his armor with its repairs nearly complete and donned it swiftly. Arming his rotary guess cannon James walked slowly in the direction of the shroud, each footfall leaving a footprint to slowly dissolve in the shifting winds of time as a dark cloud slowly formed on the horizon. A squad of commandos marched just behind James, hefting OMNI-rifles as they followed their leader. One stepped forward and began to speak in the low voice that was trait to all male commandos.

"Sir, we estimate that the shroud in this assault should be the last of their numbers, but it is also said they are bringing all their firepower into play." James looked at the soldier for a few moments. "Then we will fight as if tomorrow exists only for the others. My friends do not be daunted by this," James whistled "Here fluffy!" a mound of metal rose out of the sand as if it was some sort of primeval monster. The commandos watched with interest as 'fluffy' was set upon the first wave of shroud soldiers.

Wave after wave of sweeping ammunition found the densely packed bodies of the shroud to be excellent targets as they fell by the dozen. The commandos hefted their OMNI-rifles alongside James Guess cannon and sent out a withering hail of fire. The shroud just kept coming; poring on plasma gel into the commandos ranks until the scored a hit. A commando went down as the gel passed through his shields and ignited to form plasma on impact, eating away at armor that was considered to be nigh indestructible. James turned his weapon upon the shroud who scored the killing blow, destroying its body as the ammunition from his weapon broke the sound barrier and the weapon poured the last of its iron ferrite shells into the enemy's rank.

The commandos continued to fight as James dropped his weapon, the battlefield burst into clarity not know to humans as time started to slow. The blade mounted under his left hand burst out while his right hand reached for the longer blade on his back, drawing it slowly for its sheath in his armor. To the commandos he charged by he was not but a blur; a ghost of fury as he barreled across the ever shrinking distance. James's sword cleaved through the first shroud before him; shattering its armored frame and sending pieces of its once whole chest cavity scattered into the ranks of friendly units. James under mounted blade found the neck of a second while his other blade found the pelvic region of another.

The battle waged on as Fluffy poured a mixture of energy bolts and solid ammunition down range into the ever thinning ranks of the shroud. Something suddenly looked over the shroud, casting its gargantuan shadow over their forces.

Its form was bulbous and streaked with pus and infection, one of its arms lifted up and the rotten flesh ripped like wet tissue paper spilling a pus filled ichor upon its soldiers as an auto cannon once hidden within its flesh suddenly sprang to life.

The lead commando looked to his squad. "Mass seekers! Aim for the shoulders just after detonation!" the commandos followed their orders quickly, filling the air with mass seeking grenades that fell astray around the Bio titans legs. A wall of projectiles found each shoulder as the commandos emptied magazine after magazine of precious AP rounds into the creature. James was suddenly atop it, covered in the teal and black blood of shroud soldiers, bringing his sword down into the creatures skull. And as it fell the battlefield ignited with the light of twenty HVHE landing within the ranks.

James stumbled from his perch, having not slept in days he had finally spent the last of his energy. The scream of a berserker reached his ears as it charged through its brethren, destroying them to reach the ultimate prize. It hit him with the force of a freight train, grabbing him up within its hands and bringing him down again the berserker grappled with him as James struggled to remove himself from his captors crushing hands. His face was suddenly sprayed with ichor, staining his visor black. The berserker's body fell upon him as it heaved its dying breath, crushing him under five tons of flesh and steel.

The commandos rushed forward, OMNI-rifles firing off in rapid secession as the rushed James last know position, faintly aware of dozens of other commandos and armored vehicles rushing in as Fluffy provided close fire support. Reaching the berserker they pried for grip and rolled it off James just as he faded from conciseness. The commandos entered a rage and activated their E injectors and quickly let the combat drug takeover leaving them near mindless shells of rage and hatred.

A single figure was left in aw as both sides destroyed each other, leaving nothing but blackened glass and sand in their wake. Light could do nothing but pick up her rifle and fire again as yet another 'demon' approached the downed armored figure, she scanned the area and quickly shouldered the rifle just before firing two shots off in rapid succession. She cringed as the shots detonated loudly within the weapon then dropped the rifle and let it hang from her arm by the strap as she slid down the dunes side, reaching the bottom he unslung it again and fired at one of the creatures at point blank range while running forward to James position. She felt something grab her from behind and quickly restrain her. She screamed.

"James!" And as more approached and clouded her vision, a bright burst of orange light filled the sky. A gap appeared in the shroud forces as the now glowing form of James wielded his blade while pure energy sustained him, striking left and right as he moved steadily forward. When he reached her the blade passed barely a centimeter over her shoulder as if found the shroud stealth troopers chest. Light and James found themselves back to back, awaiting more shroud to pour forwards, but none were left. Commandos that had survived found their comrades and quickly started off for the southern dune from which its shadow now cast at the slightest angle over the battle field. They marched swiftly to the base of and scaled its eminence height, only to find to find the last of their armor division in ruins. Surrounding the former Blacksun encampment where Templar soldiers that were finishing off the last of the shroud in the area as what was left of the commandos and their lone enforcer descended upon them.

Rain started to pound the area as James and the others approached, their boots churning the vast sand into an ocean of mud. James shivered as his thoughts touched that of a Silvyan mud wyrm but he quickly shook it off as he continued into the rain.

James walked up to the one who looked to be in command and held his hand out. "Sub-admiral James Latchkey, Blacksun faction." the commander took James hand with a smile. "I'm lord Drey Tolvus, commander of the badlands Templar chapter." James nodded while using his neural link to disengage his helmet, letting slide back into his armors chest and back pieces. "A pleasure, I'm sure lord Tolvus, but may I inquire as to why your force is here?" lord Tolvus struck up a bemused face. "I was just about to ask the same of you, but let us do it back at my camp for your men are most likely tired after a battle against these demonic foes.

And so they walked until the sun set with the Blacksun forming a rear guard for the Templar as they move south slowly to the edge of the place known as the Azure badlands to the southern coast of the mainland at the town of the Trial seas were James and his commandos settled down.

Night slowly fell as James entered the tavern with Light, who clung to him tiredly as he dragged them both forward while fighting fatigue that threatened to make him collapse. The tavern keeper looked at James with a look of distrust and fear as he approached the counter. James dropped a bag of silver coinage on the counter. "One room, two beds." The tavern keeper looked shocked while he turned hi face to the door. "Fine, you can await your second here, I will tie up your slave down stairs with the others." His hand started to reach out for Lights armored form (as neither James nor Light had the energy to take the armor off.) and his face turned red when James crushing grip found his hand. "This is my second." The man grunted. "Well it's a shame we only have one bed rooms isn't it." He stated more than anything else. James shrugged, tiredly thinking it over. "Then it will have to do."

A key was pressed into James hand as he started to walk away and he mounted the stairs, climbing them swiftly he entered the room with Light following close behind as he pushed the door closed. With his armors neural interface he unlocked his and let it slide off his form in large, heavy pieces. Light struggled with her armor until James walked over to her and started to take it off for her, quickly leaving the two in only the under uniforms that accompanied the armor that, as Light noted, was more like underwear then actual clothing.

James picked her up and she let out a thing, surprised yell as he laid her on the bed and pulled the covers up over her tired frame. James then disappeared from her sight as he lay down on the floor. Light sat there, mesmerized by the action, no one had ever let her sleep in a real bed when she was uninjured let alone when there was only one. She waited until James was surly asleep and moved out of the bed, and laid on the floor besides James while throwing the blanket over them both. She braced herself for the usual nightmares but was surprised as they did not come.

It was dawn of the next day and James watched the sun rise from the terrace of the tavern he was staying in, he was still pondering the night before. A voice came from behind him and James felt a small smile play at his lips as the robes he was wearing stirred in the light breeze. "Will you stand there all day? Or will you come down stairs to eat?" James felt himself shiver at the latter prospect. "And have you referred to as my slave again? Never. I will go and fetch us some food from below and if you wish it them we will dine together." Light nodded to him with a slight smile on her face. "I do wish it so James, I do." James simply shook his head from side to side. "And I will make sure your food is raw this time, but if they refer to you as my slave once more I will gut them all with my blade." Light shook her head slowly. "James it is their ways, leave them to it so one day they might figure out their own mistakes." James sighed quietly. "I will return shortly." Light started to hum absent mindedly as James left and looked at his armor. It was tall and bulky with a slow heavy looking build, but James could throw it around like it was made of air. She looked at the back and found where his power pack had ruptured on the ship and thought in amazement that James could operate the armor with no power. She smiled to herself. "He must be strong."

James took a breath of fresh air and felt his muscles relax as he did so, The lower part of the tavern was crowded as usual and he hated it, the way the people smelled of themselves was repulsive and while it seemed not to effect them James could not help but feel the bile rise in his throat as he passed and stopped at the front counter. The man behind it looked up at James.

"Can I help you sir?" James nodded and pointed behind the man. "A steak, raw, with a mug of light ale and another of coffee, Black with sugar." The man rushed to fill the order as James dropped a golden coin on the counter. From behind him James detected the breath of a man coated with stale ale and tooth decay. The man put his hand on James shoulder. "Where you from big boy? We could have a fun time, you and me." James brushed the man's hand of and eyed his filthy beard with discussed. "No, I have a previous engagement to see to." The man frowned a little and looked at James with his fist balled up and swung yelling. James caught the fist without even trying and with a quick twist the man was on the ground screaming as his bone protruded from his arm.

Just then the door to the tavern opened up and two Templar soldiers walked in and quickly spotted James, approaching him they noted the man writhing in pain. They stopped behind hind him and to their surprise he spoke first. "Can I help you two?" they looked at each other and nodded. "Yes, our commander, lord Tolvus, has sent us to ask you for help." James looked them over before reaching down and yanking the first man from the floor as he continued to wail. "Stop your blubbering or I will break the other one to." The man stopped abruptly and walked away whimpering and whispering to himself.

James looked back to the two Templar soldiers. "So, what is you two want?" one of them stepped forward and handed a scroll to James who collected it and the food and drink that had just arrived. "Expect me to go to your leader latter." One of them looked at James surprised. "Actually if you go straight to the port, the scroll will explain." James nodded and walked away, and as the soldiers walked out of the tavern they smiled to one another. "For neutral it is done."


	8. Seperation

James looked at the scroll in his hand, indifferent about what it said. Light looked over his shoulder in worry. "James, could there really be more of those creatures out there?" James smiled at her. "Not any chance, they rode my ship down to the surface and aren't waterproof in the least bit." Light pulled a frown but shrugged it off. "So what are we going to do now James?" He looked down at her, a thin smile on his face. "Why I for once have no Idea." Light looked up at him. "The humans are fighting a war. Why not help them." It was now James turn to frown. "The humans here are corrupt and not worth it. If I were to fight it would be for the Keidran." Light looked off farther down the path they were traveling. "Why do you support us so much James? Every human I have ever met while I was a slave never cared for me, or any slave they ever owned. So why you?" James composed himself, taking a deep breath. "On every file they have on me in the Blacksun, my position is listed as Syar or the original commando from the first appearance of the Blacksun. The truth is, is that I'm from before the Blacksun. I was created to fight a war you've never heard of, for factions you've never heard of, controlled by creatures you've never heard of. In that war I was a slave, I had a handler and my ever move was monitored. By the time the war had ended both sides were gone, and I was left broken, a destroyer of all that was good in the universe and something that should have never existed." Light looked at James with sad eyes. "Surly you had friends, or people who looked up to you."

James's eyes closed, and reopened, but even as he stood there he was thousands of light years away. "We didn't make friends amongst ourselves, we died too fast and nothing was ever guaranteed to last. And as for the others, both sides hated us, we could not be trusted for we wielded what was viewed as the ultimate killing machine… ourselves, we excelled at the art of killing, for it was an art and we all were artist." Light looked up at him shocked. The rising sun caught her fur as it rose gently in the distance, the light blooming on her. The blue hues in her white fur exploded and James could not resist the smile that forced itself upon his face. James turned to look back at the town and waved as the last of his men and the others stood there. Zoey leaned on a keidran James had yet to meet and Sigma was helping the others to build a wall that the townspeople had been working on. James turned back to Light and swept her up onto his shoulders and they both laughed, though Light could not help but hear how James's dropped of regretfully.

Light leaned down on James's head and sighed, the view was amazing for the tree line in the distance burst into a green and blue light as the sun beat down upon the land. James every foot fall sank into the gravel topped dirt road with a gentle force as he let Light down from his shoulders. Light looked up at him as he continued down the path scanning ether side as they went.

(Lights POV)

I continued to look up at James, he was tall without his armor on, but still radiated a clam that bespoke years of training and tampering with himself. I wonder if he… No Light don't think that way, James is just a friend, a tall, very striking friend who would be good in be- No! Light snap out of it!

I looked down at my feet. Am I… Am I in heat?!

(All pov)

It was several days latter and James was donning his armor, getting ready to

move. He could feel something in the air, and whatever it was it wanted him dead.

The scroll still rested on the desk that lay in the corner of the room, its lies depicted

in cramped, tight letters. James grabbed his rifle and released the cartridge; checking the power cells charge before siding it back into place. James grabbed his pack and started for the door just as a bolt of blue energy tore through the wall knocking him into the one adjacent to the explosion. Two more followed in rapid succession, leveling the section of the building below James and burring him in a mound of rubble. Light ran through the dust strewn streets, trying to stay low as more bolts of blue energy filled the air, all of them igniting upon the rubble of the tavern. Someone pointed to her, yelling as they did. "The Keidran lives! Kill her!" Light rolled to one side as a burst of fire erupted behind her. She yelped as the fire singed her tail, but kept to the road as she fled.

A scream rang out from behind as one of the mages found his end, a stray commando that hadn't fallen in the initial purge found his way into the action. Quickly dispatching two more he fell as he approached what would have been his forth kill. A bolt of energy found his hearts that subsequently burst in his chest. Light made her way to the outskirts of the town and ducked into the bushes, stumbling away through the forest. She shook her head in a feeble attempt to clear it of the shock/heat combination. All of her senses were on overdrive as she moved through the brush, collapsing after she had stumbled about a half mile away from the town.

Rubble slowly fell away from the burning tavern as the mages sifted through its remains, searching for anything that would remotely resemble James. Halfway through the northern side they discovered James heat warped under armor minus James. The remaining mages turned and took count of those that remained, they were missing eight of the original twenty. Something or someone had claimed five men without them noticing. Cold fear griped their hearts, suddenly one of them noticed a gleam coming from the darkness, it would be his last observation of the night as a knife would glide silently through the night and claim the ninth 'victim'.

-Hey guys, sorry it took so long to put this chapter out, I was working on both the plot to both Rise Against and my original story, Tale of two worlds: exile.-


	9. Unto the darkness comes her knight

The remaining five mages moved through the forest with haste so that they could gather the essentials and skip camp before the madman reached them. One of them fell and yelled for help as his ankle turned sharply, but his pleas feel upon deaf ears as his partners abandoned him. Only minutes later a rustling reached his ears and he sighed, it was coming from the direction of the camp. Suddenly a figure covered in a singed coat of white fur, their glare chilling him to his core. "You killed him." The figure almost spat the words. "I will avenge him, for I think, he was my family. He was my love after all else was gone and you took him." The words were whispered with a mixture of venom and sorrow. The man was cornered as he stuttered. "No h-he is still al-alive –AH!" The thrust that killed him was swift but gave Light little satisfaction. Tears sprung unbidden to her eyes as James face flashed before her eyes, he was smiling, something he did rarely and was almost a treat unto its self.

Light felt a remorseful smile find her and her lips, she turned to follow the five trails that continued down to the camp. Light briefly considered that the number didn't add up and crept through the moist undergrowth. Morning dew clung to her white fur, throwing a translucent glow around her figure that formed a halo just above her ears. She went forwards, parting the bushes to the camps edge and found it in utter ruin, two mages lay side by side, their blood congealed into one pool. Light looked away from the corpses to spare herself the sight and located a third, hanging from his midsection from where he was impaled upon the tree limb on to which he was thrown. His entrails hung like some absurd decorations from the opening they were forced from and his face was frozen with shock and terror. Light shivered as she spied three more trails, on coated heavily in blood. She whispered silently to herself. "James." She took off in a fast trot, making up the ground she had lost to the hunter and the hunted. One trail suddenly disappeared in the brush but Light's mind, infected by heat and grief failed to notice this or the ending of the trail. When Light finally snapped from the grey of her mind she found the last mage eye to eye with her, his wound just above his temple seemed to smile at her as blood ran down his face.

A cracked voice that spoke of pain beyond mortal comprehension emerged from his twisted sneer, blood leaking from his mouth as he formed his words. "This is your fault, ya damn Keidran bitch! If it wasn't for ya master we *Chough* would have been victorious in enslaving those creatures. Master would have loved us, but now he scorns us for failure. He called us sons! But now we are outcast and only I remain. In the name of master Jakob, I will kill you!" The last words were spoken with force, causing light to stumble back. The mage place his left hand on his heart and pointed his right hand at Lights feet. The words he spoke were not in common or Keidran nor even that of the bastion. The ground beneath Light feet started to boil like a black liquid that stayed her feet as three demonic figures rose up around her, dripping the dark substance that seemed to absorb the light and replace it with darkness. Behind the figure a forth dark figure rose up, but it was different somehow. Light pulsed from its body as a pure orange light burned in it's eyes. The mage turned on the figure and started to shake, his lips moving to form words but no sound emerging. The figure swept its hand to the side, breaking the man's neck as his body was thrown to the left. One of the demons lunged and buried its sword like arm in the figures chest, but if they felt it they gave no hint as they plunged their hand into the demons chest. They pulled back with a twist and the things heart came out with a fountain of black blood and gore. The figure than pride the sword like arm from their chest, twisting it so that it was torn at the base of the weapon so that they could wield it. The figure lunged forward and swiftly decapitated one demon and gutted the other with the remaining momentum. They then dropped the sword and rushed up to Light plucking her from the dark liquid which than, at the removal of Light, receded back into the ground. Light looked up at the figure and made out James's face before she fell into a pit of darkness. James had her in his arms before she hit the ground, his eyes skimmer her body for any injuries. No marks beside some blacked fur met his eyes, so he shifted her and set off with the still rising sun to his right.

…

Light found herself covered in a thin blanket staring up at an earthen roof. She sat up slowly and looked at the fire that blazed merrily not far from where she lay, a clay bowl rest on the edge of the fire that heated the water that was boiling within. James half crawled through the opening at the front, bringing with him a sack cloth stuffed with almost a months' worth of dried meat that he placed near the fire before crouching next to Light and held a water skin to her. She drank the leather tasting water and coughed slightly. James sat down as he began to speak. "Are you well? I have tried and failed to locate any major injuries across most of your body." His face grew slightly red at the thought. "Sorry but I-" Light raised her hand to cut him off. "I will not have you apologizing for helping me James." She said firmly, than with a smile she continued. "Thank you for saving me James, I can't every repay you." James shook his head and let out a small laugh. "Just don't die and we'll call it even. Deal?" Light laughed and hugged him. "Deal!" she exclaimed. James smiled, a quick turn of the face before it disappeared. "Light you seem… different, you started mumbling in your sleep about-" James stopped himself and looked closely at Light. Her eyes were partly glazed, and she was staring at him with a faraway look. James snapped his fingers but she did not react, so he reached forward and grabbed her. Light in a flash was on top of him looking, gazing longingly at him. James felt something rise in his chest as he tightened every muscle in his body to retain himself from hitting her. "James." She said suddenly. "Do you… Do you love me?" James looked up at her, suddenly understanding what she was going through; he had seen it happen amongst Silvyan women to many times not to know what was happening. He picked his words carefully. "Light, you are everything to me. You are my world, which is why I wish for you to wait. You may be ready for this, but I am not. I have fought for nearly two centuries now without dying, and I have retained my virtue until now." Light looked down at him, her face tightening with sadness as tears slipped down her face. "Will you miss me James? Or will I be forgotten in the shifting sands of time? Let me do this James, it is my only chose." James closed his eyes and long minutes passed before he spoke, and when he did it was slow and firm. "Think for a moment, is this really what you want?" Light looked down at him, as if to see if he was teasing her. "Of course it is what I wish for." James smiled and blew gently on her right ear and then whispered to her. "Then come and get me, my silly little wolf." Everything faded to darkness as the fire grew lower without anyone to bother to tend it. Long shadows were cast and fate rolled a single die to determine what was to come next.

…

James woke up the next day with the scars of a dozen different claw marks upon his back and Light sleeping on his chest, keeping him warm from the chilled morning air. James closed his eyes slowly. "Just another day in paradise." He spoke quietly. Something came into his mind suddenly; it was a part of the conversation of the night before. _"Will you miss me?"_ it was those words that had plagued his sleep. James thought to himself, tracing every past event of his multiple lives for a solution to the problem that had risen before him. _What will I do,_ he thought, _when she dies?_ The answer came to him in a sudden burst of clarity. A single word that would change his and her fate forever. **_Paradise_**. He looked to her and thought over ever risk, every danger, every possible way to lose her. The answer was Paradise. Then another thought crossed his mind. _How?_ James moved himself from under Light carefully, and bending to retrieve his under garments he noticed the foot prints. Deep impressions only capable of being made by a commando of a larger build, a Gamma, and there was only one Gamma that had served on James ship. "Sol." He whispered quietly. His eyes followed the prints to a darker portion of the wall, James scrutinized the spot for something about it wasn't right. That was when he found it, for what he first had thought was a shadow was actually a door, and a door made of blue steel. And James smiled as the last thought hit home. Only the Blacksun had the technologies and the correct atom structuring to create it, he had slept closer to home then he would have thought ever possible. But none of this mattered, for he had found a solution to all his problems. "Light." He called out. "Get ready for a long journey, for we are off to a place very few have ever seen." Light looked up at him. "How will we get there?" James swept his hand towards the door. "The front door I would imagine, or front gate I should say." Light looked at him questioningly, but started to gather up their supplies while James rapped upon the door three times. "To Paradise then." He spoke silently.

**~Listen**** up people, the next chapter is Rise against last. but don't worry. there is a second book, Paradise, that is going to follow James and Light through the next installment. ~Gatejuper-13**

**Also, I would Like to thank wolf-salvo for all the reviews he has posted, and all the energy he has given me in the name of writing. Thanks dude! ~**


	10. Quantum Translation

Light watched James work intently, smiling slightly with the memory of the night before still fresh in her mind. James, who was oblivious to this, worked at the control panel insides, splicing wires where needed and completely removing them where he didn't. The last, bearing a shade faded red, came fourth with a hiss of static as the door's internal mechanism started to function. A painfully long half minute later the door eased itself open to reveal a passage that bore almost no sign of age. The lights above flickered briefly before the lower level emergency lights broke the gloom with a dark red light that cast shadows across the hall. James preceded forwards with an aura of caution, his alertness heightened to point every little sound made him tense heavily.

Light followed closely behind him, her environment was utterly new to her for even the internal architecture of James ship had never been this ornate or flawless. Machine interfaces dotted ever pillar while terminals lined the walls. Strange machines that gave off varying hues of light made up the ceiling and floor. Every once and a while they would pass the body of some rundown maintenance drone, or an eternal guardian in stasis near doors that were labeled heavily in warnings of some ancient pathogen or machine. James seemed to deviate only slightly from his path to avoid these, but that was all the warning Light needed to know that they were dangerous. James stopped suddenly and peered ahead. His entire body seemed to glide forward as his feet touched down rapidly in pace that sent him down one of the side corridors. At the end lay a down commando, whose blood covered the grey-blue walls, darkening them against the red hue of the lights. Light was following him when something grabbed her from behind, its mechanical arms rapping her in a rib crushing bear hug as it ran after James. The sound of metal claws taping the floor and walls followed her closely as James relieved the commando of his weapon. Turning he let Lights captor, who she now recognized as a guardian, pass him by. Two more flanked it, their energy staffs crackling with ferric plasma charges. The one holding Light set her down suddenly upon her own feet, giving her an encouraging push forwards its voice canted off to the others in low pitched voice. "Save the organic. We will assist the great one." The other two bowed to the larger, an ultra-guardian, before stalking off with Light between them. A burst of weapons fire reached her ears as James engaged whatever was chasing them.

…

James knew he was in trouble as the first corrupted cyber wolves came around the corridors entrance followed closely by a corrupted cyber tank. Steeling himself, he leveled his Omni-rifle and depressed he trigger. Two rounds found the first wolfs head and the seconds chest, both which came apart near simultaneously spilling bright green coolant across the floor. James started to depress the trigger rapidly, switching from target to target until no wolves remained and he was covered with splotches of coolant. The cyber tank crept forward, its charged plasma emitter brimming with barely contained energy that it suddenly released in a beam toward James. It was about to wash over him when the ultra-guardian stepped in between James and the plasma. It parted over its armored back as James readied the mass seeking grenade launcher mounted on the weapon. The plasma stopped suddenly and James was diving to the side, unleashing the first rocket propelled grenade which made contact with the C-tanks frontal shields, causing them to ignite in burst of colors. James depressed the secondary trigger once more but the grenade jammed itself in the launcher. The ultra-guardian passed James as if it sensed his dilemma, and lunged for the C-tank, plunging it's blade through the heavy shields and impaling the shielding matrix. The C-tank gave a burst of static that sounded crudely like a scream of pain as it batted the ultra-guardian away with one of its front legs crumping its body into useless scrap. James activated the Omni-rifles bayonet which deployed from the front of the weapon, and looking at the C-tank, he charging it. He jumped as it tried to impale him, and managed to land on its back. The bayonet found its way into the tank's optical sensor, causing it to rear up, throwing James from its back just before it slammed it's head into the wall. The jammed grenade suddenly slid from its launcher and falling deeper into the tank's mechanisms. The grenade detonated suddenly, gutting the tank and destroying its armors linking points. It lay in pieces around James as its internals fell from the separated armor. And all was quiet, to quiet. The blue steel plates beneath James's feet exploded upward as more wolves sought to find him, James rushed down the hall way, slowing only to stooping low and grab the guardian's staff as he passed it. The first wolf was then upon James, who swung the staff hard to the side, causing it to connect with the side of the wolves head which was cut clean through by the plasma charged blade at the end. Another wolf found the blade protruding from its chest as another clawed James, cutting a jagged path across his chest and left arm, blood ran heavily from his arm but he ignored it for the wound was already closing itself. The staff found the lucky ones neck as more wolves continued to push him away. Suddenly one engaged its combat rig and twin auto cannons locked into place on its sides. It spent what ammunition it had left on James, who received ten holes in his chest and left arm, with two more lodged in his right leg. James through the staff at the next to activate its rig, spearing it through the chest, the munitions within it cooked off within its storage compartment, causing it to disperse itself throughout the room and its allies. A wolf came straight at him and as it raised its claws he lunged forward with eye blurring speed. His hands found its head, which he turned in three hundred and sixty degree circle; he jerked it off and threw it at the next just before he took off running down the hall. Something fell to the ground before James and suddenly stood. Its weapon leveled it fired of dozens of rounds before turning and following him. James recognized the half organic features of a shroud desecrator assault unit as it fired off more rounds into the wolves, spilling their coolant like blood. The desecrator primed a man eater thermal hand grenade before dropping it as the two ran side by side. The following detonation threw molten metal at their backs as they continued forward.

Suddenly a Night Raven containment mech piloted by a guardian emerged before them, its quad havoc rotary assault cannons spinning well past the safe speed opened up. The scream of the damn as the sound had been named, robbed James of his hearing and the constant vibration of each weapons firing off 40,000 rounds per-minute nearly blackened his vision. His knees hit the floor as he gripped his ears, blood now flowing freely from them and his tear ducts. The vibrations halted and James felt two sets of metallic arms rap around his body. And just before the hammering vibrations started again he saw a guardian and the desecrator carrying him. The vibrations started again and his mind went blank while darkness closed in around him.

…

Light looked up once more at the creature guarding the door. It was grotesque with its organics ripped and patched so many times it resembled the bodies of a hundred different creatures instead of whatever it was first. Her eyes then feel once more upon the other machine as it pulled the large chunks of congealed blood and bullet fragments from James, then using some kind of light director, sealed each wound carefully. When it had finished Light ran up to James to check him over. All in all he seemed unhurt, but he lay still and his breath came in shallow gasp that sometimes gave rise to blood which would leak from the sides of his mouth. Long minutes later his eyes finally opened, he shook and when he tried to stand he fell back to the ground before he even finished sitting up. Light pushed on his chest gently, and leaning over him she started to speak to him in a soothing voice about anything that came to mind, from her parents to the happier times when she was free, and then she sang a low and sweet tune. She continued on until James let his eyes close, then she curled up on top of him, embracing him as she fell into a deep sleep.

…

When she awoke at what felt like the next day she found James staring at her, awake and alert. She stretched as she stood and then squatted next to him, pulling a small piece of dried meat from the bags the guardian had recovered for her at some point the other day. James accepted it without a word and slowly started to chew. Light looked at him as she spoke. "Are you feeling better James? Are you still hurt? When you were dragged in here you were hysterical. Yelling words I could not make any meaning of." James was quiet for a bit longer as he looked around slowly. "I am fine for now… but…" Light looked at him inquisitively. "Where did the desecrator go? Is it still within the room or did it leave?" "It left us shortly after your healing was complete, as did the guardian." Light replied. James held up his hand and Light took it, helping him to stand. His legs were unstable and he nearly fell before Light caught him. "James you cannot move on like this. Rest for a while longer." James shook his head. "Now or never Light, it's now or never." Light started for the packs but James spoke up first. "Stop, where we venture to next we cannot bring those." Light left the packs and walked over to James, grabbing his hand she helped him to a smaller door located at the other end of what must have once been a small lobby of some kind, James started to speak as they crossed it. "This was once a shrine world, this very room once held the embassy of the goddess Ariaus, she was the one who held the key to all knowledge, but had not the ability to use it. It was said she would loan it to those who sought good in the universe, but no more after the Blacksun took this place. We did not believe in a higher deity or power, but we saw the importance of this place, and took it from those who originally inhabited it. We converted it into a fortress of unimaginable power and then locked ourselves in, for we had dug a defensive line in the cosmos and readied our weapons for all-out war. Now most of the known universe is uninhabitable, barren, burning, or quarantined for thousands of years to come until the viral pathogens used upon them die out. The races that once rushed to unlock the secrets of the universe now only sit back in stagnant technical decay. All of this was started two millennia ago, long before your race walked this world. Humanity, a living weapon bred by the Harbingers to fight against the rising number of hostile races that surrounded them on all sides. But they proved too uncontrollable; they adapted rapidly to almost any condition and engineered weapons that surpassed the greatest by nearly tenfold. So they were supposedly subdued, and the Enforcers were created from humanities template. Stronger, faster, longer lived, and best of all, emotionless. We killed on command and burned entire systems in days, and none could oppose us. But like all living beings, we evolve, and slowly the base emotions started to emerge within us. Most of us were broke by our own actions and in the end… The universe fell, with Enforcers at helm and Humanity manning the sails as everything burned. Whether we were right or wrong shale never be know.

"Now we are here, those who were left behind still fighting us, those who emerge from the once dead worlds pinning us on all sides, or so they think. They outnumber us, but we out gun them. And I almost feel sorry for all those who fight us. Every minute that passes signals another ship to go silent in the void of space, ever hour commanding millions to die in the fires of an eternal that will never halt until all who fight in it parish. That is my story, doomed to live it alone. You asked me what I would do when you're gone. Nothing is my answer, for we will always be together." James rounded a corner, and stepping away from Light, who's head was spinning round with James story stopped. James leaned over a terminal mounted by the pad and started to depress buttons slowly. Then with a slight hiss, the pad started to glow, and James stepped upon holding out his hand to Light. He spoke evenly to her, the calm in his voice cutting through the hum. "Light," he spoke. "Will you join me in a place known as Paradise, where despite every danger that will await us there, we can never age?" Light looked up at him. She steeled herself and walked forwards. She was scared but dared not show it, and reaching forward she took his hand. She spoke firmly. "I do." She leaned forwards and kissed him, and then embraced as a blue light burst forth around them. It was then she spoke. "I would follow you to the gates of damnation and stay there if I must, for I love you James." James looked down at her and smiled. "And I love you to, Light, and even at the end of times that will never change." James leaned down as their bodies started to dematerialize and kissed Light. Suddenly they were taken over completely by the process and for all the universe cared, they were never there, for in the blink of an eye they were gone. The residual particles faded slowly back into the air leaving nothing behind to show the quantum engine had ever been used. Father in the facility the desecrator and the guardian looked to each other, pausing briefly in their fight against those doomed never to rise again. They shared the same sense of completion before they continued on. The Night Raven stopped firing for a moment, as if to feel the wave of satisfaction that washed over it for completing its final goal before it fell into stasis, damaged beyond its own engineering suite to fix, it would wait all eternity if it had to, with the half living commando at its core and its guardian pilot until a maintenance drone found it and signaled a construction drone to repair and reactivate it. On the surface and all around the universe everyone gave to a sudden pause. Fighting stopped in seconds as a wave of some sort of energy passed through every living thing. Something changed and they could feel it, hundreds dropped weapons and approached those they were fighting not but seconds ago. Many shell shocked and not understand what just happened looked to others for answers. Every force in the universe now had a purpose. To find what had been lost, for when James, the last Enforcer left that plain of reality, the part of him that once fueled sigma station left with him. So without an Enforce to power its logistic engines it collapsed, as all Harbinger technology does when its purpose has been served does. And with its collapse the Grey was released from its cell on the edge of reality. One transmission rang out across the universe, bounced of every relay and satellite in working order, no one missed it.

The voice was laced with a barely controlled panic that charge the transmission with an unearthly energy.

-This is the Blacksun super-battleship Temple of Grace, Zethanon class vessel! Sigma has fallen, repeat, Sigma has fallen! Terminus, Bastion, and Exodus fleet are engaging hostiles in mass! Heavy damage has been reported and high losses are being sounded through all fleets! Support is needed, repeat, support is needed! The Darkness has returned! Repeat, the- *static* - transmission lost.-

…

[Dimensional transcendence achieved…

Translating DNA packet.]

…

Twin burst of light, one blue and one orange appeared suddenly. The outlines of two figures, the orange a large Human male, and within the blue, a slightly smaller Keidran female, took shape. The figures were suddenly surrounded by a multitude of green orbs that filled them in mass. Two figures then fell to the ground that was a short distance below, each landing with their knees bent to lessen the impact.

…

(Lights P.O.V.)

…

I gasped as the lush greenery impacted my vision and my sense of smell was overwhelmed by the different flowers and fruits, even the breeze was different. James stood next to me, a strange white cloak with intricate orange marks, that also functioned as a shirt was draped over him. His legs were incased in some sort of armor and a belt of tools encircled his waist with a pack slung across his back. I looked down at myself and the same was mostly true, as I wore the same elements as him, but my cloak was a deep gray with ice blue markings tracing round the edges. The strange thing was is it did not rub against me in an uncomfortable way. I looked to James and spoke up. "Where are we?" He looked up and laughed to the deep blue sky above. "Light my silly wolf! We are in **_Paradise_**!"

**~ I would like to thank all those who suffered through my story, and reading it from beginning to end. This is where Rise against is sadly closed. But fear not, for my second fanfic for twokinds (although I've strayed so far from it I'm not sure what to say.) will have the first three chapters posted sometime over summer as a prerelease of some sort.~**

** ~All hale Gatejumper-13 and his first finished story!~**

**Thank you to-**

**Wolf-salvo: for talking me through this.**

**My friend Todd: for repeatedly criticizing my ideas until they came out better than before and being my co-editor.**

**My other friends: Harrison, Steven, Kevin, Austin, and Evan for cheering me on. **

**And my biggest thanks to all the readers who took time out of their day to read this!**

**~look for the next story Paradise sometime soon!~**


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